New Big East Schools May Rejoin Their Old Conferences

[TallTitan34]

http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/8653727/boise-state-broncos-sdsu-aztecs-byu-cougars-talk-mwc-return-sources-say

Boise State, San Diego State and BYU have had conversations with Mountain West membership about the possibility of returning to the league, sources told ESPN.

Even though Boise State and San Diego State don't join the Big East until July 1, 2013, the schools would have to pay an exit fee to get out of their contract. Both schools signed contracts with the Big East on Dec. 6, 2011, with a $5 million buyout, but that amount was increased to $10 million in January when Navy announced it was joining the league in 2015.

[JoBo2756]

what a mess...

For all the talk about Marquette being totally screwed, what do you think Boise State, TCU, BYU and San Diego State fans think/thought about the Big East. They must hate it.

[JoBo2756]

Not to say that we aren't totally screwed in the long term... the jury is still out on that one.

[MerrittsMustache]

Let 'em go.

[Niv Berkowitz]

Nope. We are screwed, i think. Whem the music stips and everyone has grabbed their chairs, i think MU will be left holding its jock.

[chapman]

Good.  More schools that would care enough to impose an exit fee when we leave. 

[ecompt]

By the time these schools leave, we'll have enough exit money to pay our own exit fee. Hello, A-10.

[honkytonk]

The BE's greatest revenue source seems to be exit fees. 

[JoBo2756]

The BE's greatest revenue source seems to be exit fees.  

Yea, I was thinking that too. Who needs a big TV contract when all the schools keep leaving... Maybe if we wait until everyone leaves the Big East, we'll get all the money and we can use it to start a football team.  

Let's make some unnatural carnal knowledgeing lemonade.

[brewcity77]

When did BYU become a "new Big East school"?

[Tugg Speedman]

Nope. We are screwed, i think. Whem the music stips and everyone has grabbed their chairs, i think MU will be left holding its jock.

100% wrong.  The schools that are screwed are mid-tier football schools trying to find a home.  A decent basketball only school will find always find a good home.  If we took the advice of this board and spent a huge sum to start a lousy football team, we would be much worse off.

Restated, we are as screwed as Georgetown, Villanova, St' Johns, Providence, etc.

[Tugg Speedman]

Nope. We are screwed, i think. Whem the music stips and everyone has grabbed their chairs, i think MU will be left holding its jock.

One more thing ... the music is never going to stop.  Conference realignment will be a constant for many many years.  It will only stop when college football losing its popularity, if/when that ever happens.

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/8653727/boise-state-broncos-sdsu-aztecs-byu-cougars-talk-mwc-return-sources-say

Boise State, San Diego State and BYU have had conversations with Mountain West membership about the possibility of returning to the league, sources told ESPN.

Even though Boise State and San Diego State don't join the Big East until July 1, 2013, the schools would have to pay an exit fee to get out of their contract. Both schools signed contracts with the Big East on Dec. 6, 2011, with a $5 million buyout, but that amount was increased to $10 million in January when Navy announced it was joining the league in 2015.

They need to have a plan B.  The remnants of the Big East conference they thought they were joining looks like it won't be there.

What bothers me most is why didn't these conferences just go to 14-16 teams in the first place and get the shuffling all over with at once.  It's disgusting.  The Big East Marquette joined was great while it lasted now we just have to wait for the carosel stops spinning.

[Abode4life]

One more thing ... the music is never going to stop.  Conference realignment will be a constant for many many years.  It will only stop when college football losing its popularity, if/when that ever happens.

Or it will only stop for us when we get in a bball only league.....

[Avenue Commons]

Nope. We are screwed, i think. Whem the music stips and everyone has grabbed their chairs, i think MU will be left holding its jock.

All of the non-football schools in the Big East will be left out. Simple logic dictates that the football schools won't want to share football revenue with the "basketball"schools. However, DePaul, St Johns, Marquette and Georgetown are formidable institutions that carry massive political clout in key American areas. Our Catholic brethren and us will weather this storm. A Catholic League with the BE schools, Dayton, St Joes, SLU etc is starting to make a great deal of sense.

Even if that happens, I'll always be thankful for our time in the Big East. It came on the back end of D Wade and a Final 4 run. That momentum alone was a big part of the program being where it is today.

[brewcity77]

Even if that happens, I'll always be thankful for our time in the Big East. It came on the back end of D Wade and a Final 4 run. That momentum alone was a big part of the program being where it is today.

The problem is the bigger picture. The Big East is a big part of our ENTIRE athletic program being where it is today. Our soccer programs likely aren't both getting NCAA berths or nearly as good. Our women's volleyball isn't on the verge of their second tourney berth in 3 years. Our women's basketball team has had some success. Our lacrosse programs exist. All of that is because of the Big East. And sadly, if the Big East goes away, so does the monster television contract.

We get around $1.6M per year as a member of the Big East. The exposure it gets us is probably worth double that. Put us in the A-10 and you can cut that check by 75% or more. That will mean wholesale cutting of many Olympic sports. And for the sports we keep, we certainly won't be able to justify the long-distance trips we're taking now. Where do we go? The MVC? The Horizon?

That's one thing many people haven't been thinking about. A basketball-only conference with basketball-only television contracts likely means losing a lot of non-basketball sports. It's not a golden goose. At absolute best, it's a brass one.

[bilsu]

All of the non-football schools in the Big East will be left out. Simple logic dictates that the football schools won't want to share football revenue with the "basketball"schools. However, DePaul, St Johns, Marquette and Georgetown are formidable institutions that carry massive political clout in key American areas. Our Catholic brethren and us will weather this storm. A Catholic League with the BE schools, Dayton, St Joes, SLU etc is starting to make a great deal of sense.

Even if that happens, I'll always be thankful for our time in the Big East. It came on the back end of D Wade and a Final 4 run. That momentum alone was a big part of the program being where it is today.

Why would those A-10 schools leave the A-10 for a smaller Catholic league? The Big East going to implode and there is going to be one less conference for basketball. MU should be pro active and move to A-10 now before they have to settle for Horizon league.

[Tugg Speedman]

All of the non-football schools in the Big East will be left out. Simple logic dictates that the football schools won't want to share football revenue with the "basketball"schools. However, DePaul, St Johns, Marquette and Georgetown are formidable institutions that carry massive political clout in key American areas. Our Catholic brethren and us will weather this storm. A Catholic League with the BE schools, Dayton, St Joes, SLU etc is starting to make a great deal of sense.

Even if that happens, I'll always be thankful for our time in the Big East. It came on the back end of D Wade and a Final 4 run. That momentum alone was a big part of the program being where it is today.

This is 100% wrong.

To believe this you have to assume that basketball is a non-revenue sport and we need to be in a football conference to pay for basketball.

Basketball is a revenue sport.  Marquette makes money (millions) playing basketball.  At some point these conferences will stop poaching footballs schools and look to other sources of revenue.  Basketball will head this list.

Be patient.

[Aughnanure]

Why would those A-10 schools leave the A-10 for a smaller Catholic league?The Big East going to implode and there is going to be one less conference for basketball. MU should be pro active and move to A-10 now before they have to settle for Horizon league.

This is why we aren't going to just join the A10 (and why A10 powers would want to partner):

Saint Joseph's   
St. Bonaventure   
George Washington   
La Salle   
Duquesne   
Fordham   
Rhode Island

[Tugg Speedman]

Why would those A-10 schools leave the A-10 for a smaller Catholic league? The Big East going to implode and there is going to be one less conference for basketball. MU should be pro active and move to A-10 now before they have to settle for Horizon league.

Yet another incorrect view of the world.  Again, basketball makes money and MU can field a top flight team.  Be patient.  Once the conferences are done killing each other over football they will turn their attention to basketball and we will be an attractive property.  It might be a few more years.

This board should drop this subject and stick with what it does best ... incorrectly ANLAYzing Vander's game.

[WarriorDoc]

This is why we aren't going to just join the A10 (and why A10 powers would want to partner):

Saint Joseph's   
St. Bonaventure   
George Washington   
La Salle   
Duquesne   
Fordham   
Rhode Island

Exactly, all of those teams would jump in a second to partner with Marquette and Georgetown--but why are we jumping to partner with them?

Even a conference with A-10 powers like Xavier, Dayton, St. Louis, And Butler (who would also be jumping to partner with Nova, Marquette, St John's, etc) is a downgrade for us.  We need to hang onto what we have until it dissolves or doesn't make sense for us to be a part of anymore in terms of dollars.

[ChicosBailBonds]

This is 100% wrong.

To believe this you have to assume that basketball is a non-revenue sport and we need to be in a football conference to pay for basketball.

Basketball is a revenue sport.  Marquette makes money (millions) playing basketball.  At some point these conferences will stop poaching footballs schools and look to other sources of revenue.  Basketball will head this list.

Be patient.

The amount of revenue that b-ball schools bring in is like a gnat to an elephant compared to football. 

Besides, when you can't isolate basketball on its own.  The profit men's hoops makes pays for all the other sports at MU.  The television contracts are tied to football with basketball being a very small portion of it.  Yes, there is value, but enough for football conference to take on basketball only schools?  We'll see.  I definitely don't see it with the Big Ten.  Maybe some of the others, but I have strong doubts about it.  The upside isn't there for these conferences to do this and create the problems with their football members. 

[Big Papi]

Its too bad some of the Big East schools can't wait to leave.  If they were a strong cohesive unit and held their ground, there is a possibility that the ACC gets raided some more and loses 3-4 more teams (two out of three of Florida State, Clemson, Virginia Tech to ACC and North Carolina to Big 10). Then the ACC and the Big East could look into combining into one mega conference of their own but Louisville can't wait to jump to the Big 12 and you can't blame them for that and UConn will jump to the ACC (why jump into a sinking ship) so what little leverage the Big East has is gone.

My take, life boats are filling up fast and the ACC will lose more programs.  The four major conferences are Big 10, Pac 10, Big 12 and the SEC.  16 teams in each conference is inevitable. The 4 major conferences will not be hybrid conferences.  Notre Dame made a mistake going to the ACC but they are Notre Dame and they will always have a seat with the big boys if they want it but they will have to act again real soon and decide between the Big 12 and the Big 10. 

After the BIG 64 is set, the rest will be left to pick up the pieces and form appropriate conferences for their schools own good.  The BIG 64 will have stability within the next 24 months and the rest will be left scrambling for awhile. 

Geographic conferences will make more sense for the rest to keep costs down since TV revenues will be a lot less.  Lots of football schools outside the BIG 64 will drop to a lower division level football or just drop football in general.  Hello Marquette, Depaul, Cincinnati, Memphis, Butler and about 5 other midwestern schools in the Great Midwest league.  Schools like Memphis and Cincinnati will end up giving up their football programs as again expenses will greatly outweigh revenues.  We will eventually have stability within 5 years and all will be good, at least I hope so.

[brewcity77]

My take, life boats are filling up fast and the ACC will lose more programs.

Agreed. I think UNC, Georgia Tech, FSU, and Clemson are all being targeted by the Big 4, and it wouldn't surprise me if Virginia, Va Tech, and NC State are being eyed up as well. Be curious to see if anyone is in for Duke...there hasn't been much interest of late in the smaller private schools without viable football programs.

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

A spot on opinion piece from the New Haven Register's sport's columnist, Chip Malafronte.  

http://www.nhregister.com/articles/2012/11/20/sports/doc50aac7f4a8195679537391.txt?viewmode=fullstory



CHIP MALAFRONTE: Big East Conference looks like it's a goner

By Chip Malafronte, Register Sports Columnist
cmalafronte@nhregister.com / Twitter: @ChipMalafronte


She hung on like a champ. A true battler. Even in the face of unrelenting hardship, it looked like the old girl might even pull through.

But frankly, it was only a matter of time.

The Big East Conference, for all intents and purposes, is a goner.

If the events of the past couple of days haven't sealed her fate, the inevitable announcements about to come surely will. Maryland, we learned Monday, is headed for the Big Ten. Rutgers will bail and join the Terrapins today, according to reports.

The death blow will be delivered with the next round of defections. The Atlantic Coast Conference needs someone to replace Maryland. UConn is an obvious choice. Louisville, it appears, is under serious consideration, too.

Boise State and San Diego State, ESPN reports, are discussing a return to the Mountain West Conference rather than go through with plans to join the Big East and its rapidly diminishing football conference.

The seismic shift of conference realignment continues to rumble. We're not finished with plundering. Not by a long shot. Rumors were fierce on Monday. What if Florida State and Clemson are the next objects of affection? Their replacements would be pilfered from, well, where else?

It's a rapidly changing new world of super-conferences and mega television contracts, and the Big East is helpless. It has been rendered irrelevant.

Football, it's been said over and over again, drives the athletic bus. The Big East never earned much respect from the rest of the country in that regard, even when it fared well for itself in the 1990s and 2000s.

Now, it will soon be stuck in mid-major purgatory, if it survives at all. It's unfair. It's underhanded. It's a classic smash and grab job as the rich get richer. And there's nothing the little guys can do to avoid being victims. Again.

UConn is a charter member of the Big East. Since joining in 1979, it has won multiple national championships in men's and women's basketball. Not long after upgrading to the big time in football, the Huskies won the league's automatic bid to the BCS and wound up playing Oklahoma in the 2011 Fiesta Bowl.

From an athletic standpoint, UConn owes everything to the Big East. Yet loyalty has little meaning now. Consider: the Huskies were the new kids in the Big East football party when they joined in 2004. With the loss of Rutgers, they will be football's elder statesmen. Eight years is roughly the shelf life of a football coach. But a football program? If it seems crazy, that's because it is crazy.

UConn has dejectedly watched its brethren jump ship while it was passed over again and again. West Virginia left for the Big XII. Syracuse and Pittsburgh are leaving next season for the ACC. And now Rutgers, which, even in perhaps its finest football season, still ranks below every professional franchise in the city when it comes to New York sports, is about to enter the rarefied air of Buckeyes, the Big House and the big television money of the Big Ten network.

UConn president Susan Herbst, athletic director Warde Manuel and the entire board of trustees began lobbying for a way out to ensure the program can continue its rich history of success.

Those prayers, if some reports are accurate, might soon be answered. The news regarding the ACC's next move shuttled in throughout the day Monday. Jon Wilner of the San Jose Mercury-News, plugged in to the expansion scene, said an invitation for UConn to the ACC could arrive as soon as Tuesday.

Make no mistake, if and when the ACC comes calling, UConn won't waste a nanosecond to accept. Imagine a steady diet of Georgia Tech, Miami, North Carolina and Duke passing through Greater Hartford, while remaining and rekindling regional rivalries with Syracuse, Pitt and Boston College (remember them?) It's a heck of a lot more appealing then Temple, Central Florida and Southern Methodist.

The reality is the Huskies need that invitation to survive. The UConn brand, both athletically and academically, makes it a perfect fit in the ACC. An invitation makes sense.

No matter what happens, the future of a once great conference is clear.

So long, Big East. Thanks for the memories.

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